yup, my birthday is exactly 3 months away!

Seriously though, its now just a month to Christmas, for many the main social event and family gathering of the year. Of course, what with Covid things will be different this year, no works parties, much smaller family gatherings if at all and a time of loneliness and despair for many - truly a something to celebrate I don't think.

I have of course been doing the doting grandparent bit, the presents are bought, far more than sense would dictate, wrapping and the logistics of distribution both jobs for the weekend. I'm a bit sad that I'll almost certainly miss being there for the big unwrap but there will be other times and I've had the 'joy' of selecting/sourcing everything, I'm sure #1 daughter will be taking photos!

Those living in England get to find out what restrictions we'll be under from next week tomorrow, where we can go, indeed what we can do in the coming weeks, the 'will there, won't there' vaccine question may be answered too. Not sure where they takes us, whilst vaccinating selected groups may sound good, unless the whole community is treated it doesn't have much effect overall, I rotten apple in the barrel is all it takes.

Onto other less philosophical subjects.

Monday was a fair day here weather wise but I was good, I hold my life together by my writing, financially and mentally and I spent the day pounding the keyboard. I kept at it longer than usual but the result is that I've completed four Gaby chapters in the last week as well working up some plotlines going forward. All in all I'm quite happy with the progress.

Tuesday's forecast looked quite promising, dry with a southerly breeze so despite feeling a bit groggy with cold, I set off for, what I thought might be shorter ride out. Two things then happened, the weather improved to bright and sunny and my enthusiasm got the better of me! Oh I could've cut short at many points but I ended up skirting the northern edge of Salisbury Plain before looping through Devizes to start heading back.

The sun may have been out but that doesn't mean it was warm, likewise the wind, a stiff breeze and low temperature was okay for riding but stop and it was quite chilly. The short ride became over 130km of surprisingly lumpy riding, no single 'big' climb contributing very much but totalling over 1000m nevertheless.

And so to today. As promised, the missing Gaby tome, book 3 in the saga, The Visitors, begins posting today. I'm not sure how it missed being posted on BC before but here it is, almost 17 years after it was written, chapter 1, Never a boy! Chapters will be posted on Wednesdays alternatively with Book 22, Avoidance on Sundays.

Looking forward, a good forecast for tomorrow will have me pounding the tarmac again before another writing session on Friday which means a new Gaby Kindle release should go live at the weekend!

Well that's it for today, stay well, stay safe,

Tschussie,
Madeline Anafrid